Is it time to talk about guns?

To all the gun nuts who want to use your weapon, take a trip to Ukraine. You might not make it back alive, but hey, thoughts and prayers.

 

I am a Brit and our gun laws as some of you will know are far stricter. Without getting drawn into American politics of which being honest I know very little as it doesnt concern me .

However it begs the question or questions

1) I appreciate the US constitutional rights of bearing arms and wouldnt want to be the US President who would try and alter these ,but why was an 18 year old kid allowed to purchase ,what I would call 2 assault rifles without any checks or questions asked ? My view is the supplier of these weapons is perhaps accountable by association of these tragic killings .

Pictures courtesy of my Moderation colleague Me Again



2) My second question and again from a Brits view point ,why would you need anything larger than a revolver for self defence or perhaps if your a farmer like our Brit farmers perhaps a shot gun for protection of live stock ? I just dont understand why one would want or need an assault rifle. Where could you fire such a weapon? Perhaps you have gun schools and target ranges ?

3) I appreciate the US has gone down the gun route for far too long and a total ban would be out of the question as this would clearly give those with criminal intent the upper hand. I get that . But some legislation to me is badly needed for the supply of what I would classify as military style "small" arms to ordinary citizens .There perhaps need to be some sort of licensing system for all potential gun owners as what we have in the UK with many references taken from those with a medical background as well as character references . Suppliers in my view as they are in the UK need to be more accountable and take more responsibility, instead of making a fast buck .Perhaps regular inspections of stock by regulators is also needed. The regulators could be funded by a levy on the suppliers . In my view these would not impinge on anyone's rights as long as the vetting system isnt turned into a cash cow .I think any legislation to control arms needs to be universally applied and not upto individual States to pick and choose.

I do think more emphasis should be placed on the suppliers as these would be key to any legislative controls that in my view are badly needed .

I have tried to bring a bit of balance by not banning but asking about more control of fire arms .

I guess some of the above could be too much common sense coming from a Brit, who has a naivety of US politics and existing legislation .

This video asked by a Brit Reporter for Sky News and supported by an American Reporter to me highlights the problem in getting any changes in legislation. Cheap talk on condemning the tragic shootings but not prepared to take any action to prevent this reoccurring in the future. And it will happen again in the future as in my view as America doesn't learn from tragedies like us in the UK

 

I could give you a quick history lesson on how this country was founded, but I believe I can sum it up in a few words.

"No gun is too big when you're paranoid"

 

'Murica... Fuck yeah, that's why.

 

Don't get too logical, now... This is America, after all. These morons elected Trump and some still think he's prez.

 

Thats fine mate and thanks .

You can tell with the British Reporter in my post ,its really confusing for us Brits to kind of understand the psyche about the unrestricted gun ownership and yet the very same people will condemn the action but be reluctant to do anything about it . I dont think its about curbing peoples rights but more control to minimise the chances of this type of event happening again . I dont listen to American news often but these shootings are happening far too often now. So I do think a change is needed and both sides need to work on a compromise.

 

You bring up some very good points. Bottom line is that politicians are being bought off by gun manufacturers.

 

View from this Brit:
History tells us that land, property and other 'wants' have always been 'won by the gun' - (or prior to that, other weapons of choice)
It is engrained in our pysche.
This being said, not all Countries have the accessiblity and acceptance of carrying deadly firearms.
America does have a choice *
In order to free their lands from the Brits the Colonial war saw a fear of retribution which led to the 'right to keep and bear arms' as a fundemental right protected by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, part of the Bill of Rights, and by the constitutions of most U.S.

The Second Amendment declares: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed"
.
Further expansion into the Western lands saw the gun to be a successful tool used to invade, con and trick several Native American tribes of their territory.

Once established, it was the gun that protected and enabled the Corporate empire to thrive, hiring gunmen was not unusual.
.
Those without stole, whilst the response was to arm officers of the law to protect civil rightsand Bouty hunters was an established profession
e
*
The, Prohibition saw the Mobs take to the street to supply demand - and saw the rise of the Ganster
.

 

Throughout US History the common theme of the Gun has been there, as a tool to gain advantage for all indivduals to make advancements in life, an to a degree,- encouraged
* Whilst America does have a choice:
The 'Right' of the US individual always seems to take precedent over Safety concerns.
It is methinks too ingrained into their pysche to change - and 'give up the gun' = IMO

 

This, for me, is the what the problem is. The definition of a militia. My definition is a state’s national guard. I don’t think the founding fathers intended for people to take the law into their own hands.

 

Several years old... Obviously still relevent.

 

Sorry I couldnt resist lol

 

Notice how the violence worshiping R’s are shifting the discussion about Uvalde from the elephants in the room…guns…..to the police response. When will they ever learn? So what’s next?…new arms for teachers, “one steel door”. Slits for windows. Body armor for students. Long ago addictions professionals learned the number one factor in addictions is availability.